Things Change
by PrincessOnion
Summary: Rachel was getting married and Quinn said she would be there, but because of reasons beyond her control she didn't go. As Rachel tries to make sense of everything she remembers a conversation they had three days earlier at the bridal shop. One shot. Right after OMW.


On my way. The last thing she had heard from her friend. Or read, if she was being accurate. Her friend. Sometimes she still thought it was weird to think about her that way, but that is what she had become. Change really is amazing.

So there was Rachel Berry, in the shower, repeating those three words and crying. Crying like she had never cried in her entire life. There was a quiet beauty in crying in the shower. Among other things, that was something _her friend _Quinn Fabray had told her about three days ago.

"_I'm not going to stand around and watch you ruin your life by marrying Finn Hudson!"_

_Rachel was shocked. Appalled. How dare she? How dare Quinn Fabray try to ruin the best thing that had ever happened to her?_

"_The best thing that has- Rachel, are you serious right now?"_

_Oh, apparently she said that out loud. But yes, she was damn serious! _

"_I am very serious."_

"_I can't believe you. You have gone so far and you could go even further. Do you not see that?"_

_Well, she had done a bit. Sectionals, sophomore year. Making it as far as Nationals, in New York City, where she just happened to meet Patti LuPone. But marrying Finn was still greater. She had loved him for so long and now he was marrying her! Rachel Berry, the ultimate loser was now getting married to the most popular football player in school. Things can change._

"_I can assure you I am still very much set on my goals, Quinn. I am still marrying Finn, though. He's the best person to accompany me in this journey and I love him."_

"_No, he is not."_

"_Yes, he is."_

_Quinn had this weird look in her eyes. And it was recurrent, too. Almost as if she was going to cry. She turned and left to get changed. It was good that she did, because Rachel didn't know how to further respond to what she had said in a way that didn't sound even more childish. And as she searched for reasons to back her statement it seemed like her mind had suddenly gone blank._

_Rachel went to get out of the wedding dress, _her_ wedding dress, to leave. As she left the changing rooms, she was surprised to fell a hand brush lightly on her wrist, which was weird, because all the girls had supposedly left already. She turned around and saw Quinn standing there, looking at her with those same bright hazel eyes. Her face was a little flushed, as if she had, indeed, cried._

"_Quinn, I don't want to talk to you right now."_

"_Please, Rachel."_

_She sounded so hurt. How could she be hurt if she was the one doing the hurting?_

"_Just, please… Can we please talk? Have coffee with me? Please?"_

"_You don't need to say please that many times. Once is enough…" Rachel said, trying to show how absolutely displeased she really was._

"_So, are you coming?"_

"_I can't. My dads are picking me up from here."_

"_Pleas- Could you call them? I'll drop you off right after." _

"_I- Quinn…"_

"_Please?" It was almost as if she were begging. It was making Rachel uncomfortable._

"_Could you _please_ stop saying that?" Rachel was a bit louder than she had planned._

_Quinn lowered her eyes. _

"_I'm sorry. Ok, Quinn, I'll go."_

_A small glint of happiness flashed through Quinn's eyes. _

_-o-o-o-o-o-o-_

_They seated on a slightly secluded table so they wouldn't be bothered by people asking if they were leaving any time soon. Rachel always thought that was really rude, but the costumers at The Lima Bean seemed prone to doing that._

"_What did you want to talk about, Quinn?"_

_Quinn had been looking down that whole time. It was strange to see this girl who always stood so tall look so hesitant and unsure._

"_I want to apologize. I shouldn't- I didn't- I-"_

_Rachel stared at her, signaling that she was listening._

"_You know when people say that the sky is the limit? I don't think that applies to you. Unless you think that stars belong in the sky. But that's not the point. You- Rachel, there is no limit to how far you can go. Your talent… You're so talented it's scary. And I think you deserve to take full advantage of it. You, just you. You don't need to drag anyone with you. I'm sorry I have yelled at you. And I shouldn't have questioned your wedding like that. I still don't agree with it and I think you can go that far without Finn or anyone else. You can go far because you are Rachel Berry. You're destined to be great, Rachel." _

_Rachel was having a hard time understanding what was going on. This wasn't the first time Quinn was saying she would be successful. Or that she had to leave Lima without any anchors from her past. But this was the first time she had complimented Rachel that much. She even seemed nervous._

"_I- Quinn, I forgive you. But I must say I am set on marrying Finn."_

"_It's ok. I just don't think I can come to the wedding. I-" Quinn was crying now. "I'm sorry I'm crying. I didn't mean to."_

"_Don't apologize for that." Rachel had to ask. She just had to. "Quinn? Are you so opposed to this wedding because you are still in love with Finn?"_

_Quinn laughed. It was a strange sight. The laughter and the tears, the glistening eyes and the smile. As confusing as this entire afternoon._

"_No, Rachel, I'm not." She paused, drying her tears. "If we're being honest, I don't think I ever was."_

"_Not even when you were telling me about how frustrating I was for wanting him back?"_

"_Not even then, I think. The point I was trying to make then was the same I'm trying to make now. You are destined to go far. At that point I just thought I wasn't going anywhere. I really thought I'd be stuck here forever, and being with Finn seemed like the cherry on top of that loser cake, no offense." Rachel frowned, Quinn smiled at her. "You know, when I found out I was pregnant I thought my life was over. I cried in the shower every day. It felt like the water would wash the bad things away or something poetic like that. I honestly believed I couldn't do anything else. And after that I was really depressed. I only realized that earlier this year, when Shelby and Beth were in town. It didn't seem like there was anyone to help me."_

"_I'm sorry for that."_

"_Don't be. You were actually the one person that offered a hand and didn't call me selfish, crazy or horrible. Even after all I did to you. And I'm forever grateful for that. I'm good now. I did something. Because of you, really, I know I can go somewhere, do something with my life."_

_If you'd asked Rachel she'd say that was the most surreal conversation she'd had. They _really_ were friends. Actual friends that shared thoughts and insecurities and talked. These changes._

"_Of course you can, Quinn. You're so pretty, so smart. You're really great and you'll go very far too."_

"_Thanks, Rachel." Quinn seemed happier now._

_They sat there, in quiet content, sipping on their drinks for a while. Rachel was the first one to talk again._

"_I still wish you'd go to the wedding." And the look of dread and sorrow was back to Quinn's pretty hazel eyes._

"_I can't do that. I can't watch you get married to him." _

Rachel had not married Finn. Quinn hadn't been there. Not to spite her, not to make a point. She couldn't be there because of Rachel's irresponsible actions. The texts. She shouldn't have rushed anything. She should've been patient. Now, because of her, Quinn might never be there, or anywhere, again. Because of stupid Rachel Berry. So she sat in the shower and cried. It's not as if she had never cried because of Quinn Fabray before. She most definitely had. The reason, as most things in this world, had changed. So she cried, helplessly hoping the water would wash all the bad things away or something poetic like that, but knowing that it wouldn't.


End file.
